Prologue

I stopped walking, stunned. I brought one hand up to my neck, and put the other on the wall.

The pain was unbelievable.

Even through my scarf, I could feel my neck pulsing. By now, I was almost bent over.

My mind was racing. 'Damn it,' I thought, 'he warned me.'

I really had been an idiot to ignore all those warnings Faust had given me. Something seemed to click in my head.

"Faust-" I said, turning to run.

I tried to ignore the pain as I ran toward Faust's house. Every part of me was hoping that no one else would see me running like this. That would lead to very awkward questions…

I was relieved when I finally saw his house. I didn't even think about trying to stop running- the pain distracted me from all thoughts.

I hammered on the door, but it had been reduced to knocking by the time Faust came to the door.

"Faust," I gasped, almost bent over in pain again.

"Hello Sencerity," said Faust, with his usual smile. The smile vanished as he realized something was wrong.

Faust's face turned expression less. He grabbed and pulled my arms. Once inside, he picked me up and carried me further into his house.

"Eliza," he said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eliza coming toward us.

Faust put me on the table in the side room. I was sitting up, the pain becoming worse.

Faust pulled off my scarf, and tilted my head up so he could see my neck. I could tell instantly that he did not like what he saw.

"How bad is it?" I managed to ask.

Faust said nothing as he turned to Eliza. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror behind, Faust, and was horrified at what I saw.

My mark was doing something to my neck. The veins started to rise under each line of the mark. The mark was becoming darker.

Faust stepped in front of the mirror, blocking my reflection. He pushed back my shoulder until I was lying down on the table.

"Listen to me Sencerity," he said, "can make this stop before it spreads anymore. But the pain will get worse before it stops. You have to trust and let me finish."

I pushed my back against the table.

"Do you trust me Sencerity?"

I struggled to nod. Tears were starting to form in my eyes.

"Ja," I said.

Faust put one hand on my head, the other on my neck.

I could see a faint glow, as the pain became worse than I thought was possible.

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Translations:

Ja – Yes